Planview Water District Shares the Many Reasons for and Benefits of Waterflow-Sensing Technology
The Plainview Water District (PWD) is encouraging residents to take advantage of new technologies that provide real-time access to the amount of water flowing within their home. This announcement comes as the District has been alerted to several instances over the past couple of months of residents leaving their homes for an extended period of time and returning to significant flood damage. The new technologies available not only enable users to establish leak alerts, but also provides them with real-time access to their homes’ water usage.
“We are always saddened to hear stories from residents who return to a flooded home due to a broken pipe or valve that didn’t hold while they were away,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind. “While many of these situations cannot be avoided, the damage caused by them can be significantly mitigated by installing a water flow sensor. These devices are relatively simple to install and provide residents with the power to see the amount of water flowing through their meter at any given time.”
Smart water flow devices are typically installed on the main water line to accurately measure and communicate water usage within a home or business. Some devices can shut off the water main if a significant leak is detected. Tracking and monitoring water consumption offers many positive benefits to consumers, as the data collected by the flow sensors can keep track of usage patterns, ensuring accurate billing, and even help detect leaks before they become a major source of damage. Many of these devices come with an app that can be downloaded onto a phone or tablet that offers a user-friendly dashboard to display data.
“With all of the new technology out there, we want to ensure that residents are aware of the many new tools available to make their lives easier and keep them informed,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “These products can be very useful investments, paying for themselves relatively quickly, as they can assist residents with tracking water usage in a convenient manner. It can also help in better understanding your water bill and how you can practice better consumption habits to bring the cost on your bill down even more.”
Leaks can be one of the largest sources of damage to your home, while also generating significant water bills. While most homes have either a three quarter to one inch service line, the amount of flow coming out of a quarter-inch pipe can be staggering. A quarter-inch pipe flowing with water can pump out approximately 15,000 gallons of water every day—nearly a half million gallons of water per month. Some of these smart devices offer floor sensors that pair with the device to monitor further for flooding. With smart flow technology, users can remain aware of what is occurring in their households at all times and safeguard their property to possible leak-related incidents all from the convenience of their smartphone.
“The District always wants our residents and their homes to remain safe,” said PWD Commissioner Michael Chad. “This kind of technology can allow homeowners to travel or be away from their property, while alleviating the worry of an undetected leak occurring while they are not home. We highly encourage any residents that travels for extended periods of time or have unoccupied properties to consider investing in these devices an provide some additional peace of mind to their lives.”
For more information about these devices residents are encouraged to research smart water flow devices and choose a product that properly meets their expectations and needs.
For further information, or if you have any questions, please call the District at 516-931-6469, email info@plainviewwater.org or visit www.plainviewwater.org. To receive regular updates from the Plainview Water District, please sign up for email updates on the District’s homepage. Don’t forget to stay connected to the Plainview Water District on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PlainviewWaterDistrict.